Multilayer polymer film for a multichamber medical bag and process for fabrication thereof

Abstract

The invention concerns a multilayer polymer film and a multichamber bag, whose bag chambers are formed by seams in the outer border zone and by at least one seam in the chamber separation zone, whereby the seams are formed from the polymer materials facing the chambers. The polymer materials facing the chambers are inseparably sealed together in the outer border zone and sealed together in the chamber separation zone such that the seam is separable with a force which lies in the range from 5 to 20 N. The different strength of the bond from the sealing process is obtained by varying sealing temperatures.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of sealing a multilayer polymer film including two or more layers, which, at a first sealing temperature, forms a peelable bond and, at a second higher sealing temperature, forms a permanent bond, wherein the sealing layer has a matrix phase polymer system, wherein the matrix polymer is a polyethylene homopolymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, or a polypropylene copolymer and the phase polymer is a styrene ethylene/butylene styrene triblock polymer with a styrene ethylene/butylene diblock component, a styrene ethylene/propylene styrene triblock polymer, a styrene butadiene styrene triblock polymer, and/or a styrene isoprene styrene triblock polymer, which method comprises forming a seam which can be separated by a force in the range of 5 to 20 N/mm 2  by sealing the film at a temperature in the range of from 123° C. to 128° C. 
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the multilayer film is a co-extruded multilayer film. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the multilayer film has two to seven layers. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the phase polymer contains a processing aid. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the proportion of the phase polymer is in the range from 1 to 40 wt. %, based on the matrix-phase polymer system. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the multilayer film has a gas barrier for oxygen and carbon dioxide as well as a water vapor barrier layer. 
     
     
       7. A multichamber medical bag (1) made of a polymer material for preparation of medical mixed solutions, which has at least two chambers (8 and 9), which are separated from each other by a sealed separation zone (7) to be opened and are sealed in an outer border zone (2, 3), whereby in the seam of the outer border zone at least one tube (4) is provided in at least one chamber, characterized in that it is fabricated from a multilayer polymer film including two or more layers, which, at a first sealing temperature, forms a peelable bond and, at a second higher sealing temperature, forms a permanent bond, wherein the sealing layer has a matrix phase polymer system, wherein the matrix polymer is a polyethylene homopolymer, a polyethylene copolymer, a polypropylene homopolymer, or a polypropylene copolymer and the phase polymer is a styrene ethylene/butylene styrene triblock polymer with a styrene ethylene/butylene diblock component, a styrene ethylene/propylene styrene triblock polymer, a styrene butadiene styrene triblock polymer, and/or a styrene isoprene styrene triblock polymer. 
     
     
       8. The multichamber bag according to claim 7, characterized in that the seam is separable in the separation zone (7) with a force which is in the range from 5 to 20 N/mm 2  and the seam in the outer border zone (2, 3) is inseparable. 
     
     
       9. The multichamber bag according to claim 7, characterized in that it is heat sterilizable. 
     
     
       10. The multichamber bag according to claim 7, characterized in that in addition to the discharge tube (4) each chamber to be filled also has at least one filling tube (5, 6), which is disposed in the seam of the outer border zone (2, 3). 
     
     
       11. The multichamber bag according to claim 7, characterized in that the outer wall in the chamber separation zone is provided with at least one tear tab (10). 
     
     
       12. The multichamber bag according to claim 8, characterized in that in addition to the discharge tube (4) each chamber to be filled also has at least one filling tube (5, 6), which is disposed in the seam of the outer border zone (2, 3). 
     
     
       13. The multichamber bag according to claim 9, characterized in that in addition to the discharge tube (4) each chamber to be filled also has at least one filling tube (5, 6), which is disposed in the seam of the outer border zone (2, 3). 
     
     
       14. A method for preparing a mixed solution for dialysis, infusion, or nutrition, characterized by separating a seam between at least two chambers (8 and 9) of a multichamber medical bag of claim 7.